Best Companies To Work For 2011: Claris Life Sciences provides conducive environment to retain talent

Six months back when Tarun C moved from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad after signing up with Claris Life Sciences, he couldn't believe the ease with which things fell into place. As soon as he landed in the city, a temporary accommodation waited for him. A couple of days later, an HR executive helped him rent a 3-bedroom apartment along the posh SG Road area of the city.

Recently, company officials even convinced him to buy a home in Ahmedabad. "It is for the first time in my 22-year career that the company took the initiative to ensure that I own a home and my daughters are enrolled in the best schools," says Tarun, AVP of Quality Assurance at Claris.

Ease of transition, career growth and comfort of the employees' family are considered essential for bringing out the best in people. The company goes the whole hog to create affinity not only among employees but also among their family members. Special workshops for wives and children are also organized.

In a field where competition is intense, intellectual property rules supreme as the business driver. Naturally, people are key not only as end users but also as employees. "Retaining people is a costly affair. The environment should be such that people do not prefer to leave the company. So why not spend on creating a conducive environment. This results in net financial savings for the company as well," says Arjun Handa, MD and CEO of Claris Life Sciences.

Spotting talent at an early stage, grooming, training and hand-holding for career building helps the company in the longer run. "It is better that talent remains within the company. They are even trained in other departments. While it reduces the monotony at work, it also exposes other skillsets of the employees," says Shyam Sharma, head of HRM at the company.

Retention of talent is matched by attention to details.

Around 200 managers at the top and middle levels have been identified as being critical for maintaining the competitiveness of the company. They receive a call from the MD on their birthdays and marriage anniversaries.

The comprehensive policy helps the company maintain attrition lower than the sector average. While the churn rate in pharma sits in the high teens, the company boasts of maintaining it at the early teens.

There are even cases where a former employee has rejoined the company.